


Living with Secrets

by my_shangri_la



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Banter, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Sarcasm, Sometimes Lucas is stupid, casual touching, lucaya endgame - Freeform, stubborn Lucas, unfortunate love triangles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-07-15 23:49:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7243774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/my_shangri_la/pseuds/my_shangri_la
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Freshman year is ending and an attempt is finally being made to end the triangle that has gone on much too long. The start of summer vacation is also taking the group back to Texas where it all started. They embark on a new adventure and find out new things about themselves and each other. This is a LUCAYA story. (I'm sorry. I thought this was in here somewhere other than how the tags were set up!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> BRAND NEW STORY!! This was VERY loosely based on a supposed spoiler for a future episode (but there’s not really any kind of a spoiler in this story because I know we’ve all been guessing at what might happen this season before spoilers started popping out)… and dream I had the other night – I blame it on the overkill GMW marathon watching. My dream makes them go to Texas. **shrugs** Works for me. This will be about 4-5 longish chapters. It will just depend on how I decide to resolve everything, and how long it takes.
> 
> Also, my Spanish is basic – as in: basically bad – my high school teacher would be so ashamed that I remember like none of it. I think I know more curse words in several different languages than all my Spanish, and I never took anything else. Anyway, if I REALLY screwed up part of those translations, someone let me know.

# Chapter 1

Their last trip to Texas had been short, and still managed to be emotional. Riley had to admit she was a bit apprehensive about this one - even though they'd supposedly put a dead-stop to this triangle nonsense, it wasn't exactly working out well.

They'd decided on this plan three weeks ago – to go to Texas for ten days – and it had taken barely a week before for the first time ever, Lucas and Maya had landed in detention for supposedly having an epic, blow-up argument during the English class they had with Zay.

Riley had been... shocked. Texas had been where Maya's feelings for Lucas had come out. And she'd assumed that if anything, they'd be getting a bit nostalgic to go back to the place where they had their moment.

That was not what was happening.

After their detention had ended, they didn't speak for another four days, and no matter how much Riley tried to pry details out of her, Maya refused to budge, eventually telling her to stay out of it.

Today was their last day of freshman year. (Yes, they'd survived.)

And in three days, they were going back to Texas.

It was the end of the day and they had a garbage bin by their lockers to clean out the old stuff they didn't need. The pile of books they still had to return were on the floor.

"Ladies."

"Farkle", they repeated with amused smiles before turning around.

"Hey, Smackle", Maya greeted.

"Maya, Riley", Smackle nodded.

"Hi", Riley smiled.

"Don't tell me you two are done with this locker business already?" Maya asked with a groan.

"Our lockers are empty caverns", Smackle said. "Metaphorically speaking of course. They are much too small to be caverns... although they do have an enjoyable echo."

Riley was going to comment when Maya stuck her head in her nearly empty locker.

"Hello? Helloooo?"

"Stop it", Riley laughed, nudging her. "We have to come back next year."

"Don't remind me", Maya grumbled before pulling her head out of her locker. "I can't clean anymore or I'll cry. I'll go return our books", she insisted.

"Okay, Peaches. Have fun with that", Riley said with a bit of amusement.

Maya scooped up their huge pile of books. Farkle snorted as she nearly toppled over. He took the top two books. "Chemistry is around the corner. I'll walk with you."

"I'm fine-"

"You're about to sprain your wrist", he teased.

"Ugh", she whined.

He walked her to the chemistry lab and then helped her adjust her books so she could carry them - only because she insisted - three on each side, so she wouldn’t fall over like a Jenga game gone bad. And then he pointed her in the direction of Mr. Matthews' classroom further down the hallway.

Fate had it out for her apparently.

Because if it didn't, she would have gone to the Spanish room first and she wouldn't have found herself in the doorway of Matthews' room staring at him and Lucas.

"Books!" Cory said enthusiastically, pointing at her. "Gimme!"

She couldn't help but chuckle. "Two are yours. Mine and Riley's."

"And that explains why Farkle texted me that you were playing 'book Jenga'", Lucas muttered. He'd been approaching her slowly while her attention had been elsewhere.

"Lucas-" the protest she'd begun as he removed her pile of books from her arms died with his slight glare.

"Seriously?" he muttered.

She sighed and let it go.

Their argument hadn't exactly been... resolved. It had ended because she'd told him she'd needed space.

_That_ had nearly started an entirely different argument, but she had finally convinced him they _both_ needed some space.

He still obviously didn't agree with her, but he had been letting her get away with it. Until now.

She picked the two history books from the pile and walked across the room. "Two books for you", she presented with dramatic flair.

"Thank you", Cory grinned and went to his grade book and marked off her name and Riley’s as people who returned their books before shelving them.

Maya gave him a salute using the first two fingers of her right hand. “Later, Matthews!” she said with a forced grin as she backed out of the room, grabbing her books on the way.

“Dinner, Maya?” he called after her.

“I’ll text Riley”, she answered. “My mom might be home.”

She heard Lucas say something that sounded like a temporary goodbye to their teacher who they saw nearly every day regardless of whether they had school or not, before she heard his footsteps following her.

Maya very deliberately did not speed up. There would be no convincing him that this would all be fine eventually if she didn't stop running away from him.

“Maya! Where are you going?” he called after her.

“Spanish class”, she answered evenly as he caught up to her. She very pointedly did not make any quips about him carrying her books when he took half of her pile without asking.

He nodded and fell into step next to her like the last few weeks hadn’t been incredibly awkward between them. She’d be impressed if it didn't make her so irritated… _Or maybe she’d be impressed if she wasn’t aware of just how good he was at faking that everything was fine._

“Maya-”

“Can we just not?” she sighed. “There’s no point in getting into this again. I said all I needed to say when we were in detention.

He shook his head in annoyance. “If I recall that conversation, you said a bunch of stuff I didn’t agree with, and then you refused to let _me_ talk.” 

“Go talk to _Riley_ ”, she hissed pointedly.

He didn't say anything right away, but she thought she heard a growl. She was _not_ going to look.

“Come on, Maya”, he sighed. “I don’t want it to be like this.” 

“It’s not like anything”, she muttered quietly. “Just… drop it, okay? Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”

“You think I don't know what you’ve been doing?”

_Of course she knew he was aware. But she hadn’t exactly been subtle about avoiding him._

“Just tell her, and put us all out of our misery”, Maya said exasperatedly. “This is getting exhausting and ridiculous.”

“I told you. Nothing would happen unless you were okay with it.” 

“And I told you that I was”, she said with an annoyed glare.

“Yeah, that was great”, he said sarcastically. “Too bad you were lying.”

“Are you _seriously_ -” 

“You really think I don’t know you?” he asked ironically, interrupting her oncoming rant. “Yes, _seriously_. You’re not avoiding me because you’re happy.”

“Quit analyzing me”, she complained as they got to the Spanish room. “Hola, Senora Feinstein-Chang.”

Their teacher looked up. “Hola, Maya. ¿Tiene un libro para mí? (Hello, Maya. Do you have a book for me?)”

Maya nodded. “Si. Tengo mi libro y el libro de Roberta. (Yes. I have my book and Roberta’s book.)” She walked to the teacher’s desk and handed her the two books she was holding. Senora Feinstein-Chang opened each book and put a check mark next to each of the girl’s signatures inside the cover with a green marker before making a notation in her grade book that the books were both turned in.

“Espero que se una en mi clase de español Dos en el otoño , Maya . Que tengan un verano maravilloso.(I look forward to having you in my Spanish Two class in the fall, Maya. I hope you have a wonderful summer.)”

“Gracias, Senora Feinstein-Chang”, Maya smiled. “Espero que tengan un buen verano también.(Thank you, Mrs. Feinstein-Chang. I hope you have a good summer too.)”

“Gracias, Maya. Adios.”

“Adios, Senora.”

Lucas followed her again as she left, refusing to give her last two books back. “Algebra?” he asked as they walked.

“That’s it.”

“How’d you do on the final?”

“Not awful.”

“Hey.”

Maya groaned quietly, but looked up at him suspiciously. “Yes?”

Lucas shook his head and bumped her shoulder gently with his arm. “You put in a lot of work this year. I’m proud of you.”

She bit the inside of her cheek. “Don’t get all mushy”, she muttered.

He snorted and hooked his free arm around her neck despite her objections. “If you call that mushy-”

“Please, shut up”, she whined, knocking her elbow against his ribs.

He chuckled. “What time does your mom get off work?”

She frowned. “Maybe seven… I don't know yet. Why?”

“How much packing do you have left?”

That made her laugh. “Aw, I thought you said you knew me.”

“All of it? Seriously, you haven’t started?”

“And you’ve had your suitcase is already packed and has been… oh, i’d say probably since the day after finals ended, right?”

He just sighed.

Maya snickered. “Uh-huh. Thought so. _Predictable_ ”, she murmured, shaking her head.

He frowned and followed her to their math class, and he gave her books back so she could turn them in. There was less fanfare with Mr. Perkins. He was a good teacher though, and they’d almost enjoyed Algebra.

“Riley’s texting me and asking how long it could possibly take to return 8 books”, Maya muttered as she looked at her phone that had been buzzing in her pocket as they started down the hallway again. “Where is Zay? No one has seen him.”

Lucas frowned. “I haven’t seen him since we finished cleaning our lockers.”

“The last bell is going to ring in about ten minutes”, she said with a frown. “Maybe we should find him?” 

“Take the long way back?” Lucas suggested.

She nodded. “Come on. I’m texting Riley to let us know if he finds them. Maybe he just got caught up.”

“I hope so”, Lucas said grimly.

_Twenty minutes later:_

“Okay, really?” Maya complained. “Where is he? We haven’t even heard his ‘Lucas’ yell.”

He smirked. “The ‘Lucas yell’?” he repeated with amusement.

Her eyes rolled. “You know what I mean.”

Lucas chuckled. “Yeah.” He pulled out his phone and tried calling his friend again. It eventually went to voicemail, and he groaned. “Call me back, idiot. Everyone is looking for you.”

“Maybe he’s making out with a cheerleader?” Maya suggested. _Zay and Vanessa had done really well for about six months, and then the whole notion of ‘absence making the heart grow fonder’ began to dwindle. It had been mutual, but Zay had been in a funk for a few months. But now that he no longer had a grudge against cheerleaders in general and what he called their ‘stone cold hearts’, he was trying to get a few of them lined up on his dating roster._

Lucas groaned. “He’s gonna end up getting slapped.”

Maya glared at him. “Zay’s a good guy.”

He stared down at her exasperatedly. “I _know_. He was my best friend before I even moved here. He just… doesn't think sometimes.”

“The same could be said for all of us sometimes, I think”, she shook her head.

He nodded, conceding the point. “Come on. Let’s find Zay. Then we’re going back to your place.”

“You’re really not going to let this go?” she said with a groan as they continued checking the hallways and empty classrooms. Stubborn cowboy.

“I’m not spending our vacation and the rest of the summer fighting with you, Maya”, he said seriously.

“Who said anything about fighting?”

He raised an annoyed eyebrow. “I’m not going along with whatever you’re plotting either.”

“You’re making me sound like a criminal mastermind”, she preened playfully.

He glared. “Will you be serious? We have to actually talk about this-”

“No, we don't! We don't have to talk it to death. You told me the truth. I told you what you needed to do. That was weeks ago, and you still haven’t done it. It’s really making me question your follow-through here”, she said a bit angrily.

“You don't get it, do you?” he sighed.

“No, I don't. You want to ask Riley out. I already _said_ it was fine. Please just _do_ that and go on your merry way. Everything will be fine.”

Lucas was about to try to make his point for what must have been the sixth time since they’d gotten detention when they heard a voice.

“ _That’s_ what you two have been fighting about?!”

“Of course he shows up now!” Maya growls, throwing her arms up and turning to find Zay walking up behind them in the empty hallway with his backpack slung over his shoulder.

“If I say ‘raise your hand if your an idiot’ and neither of you does, both of you are getting hit with a water balloon when you least expect it”, Zay said, staring at them incredulously.

“Him I get”, Maya nodded pointing her thumb at Lucas who she assumed was texting Riley to call off the search party since he was on his phone.

“Hey!” Lucas protested.

“But what did I do?” she frowned.

“Girl, you know what”, Zay shook his head in disappointment. “And we both know you don't want me to repeat it.”

She made a face. “You’re so lucky I like you.”

Zay grinned. “Probably true.”

“I don't like being confused”, Lucas complained.

Zay patted his friend’s shoulder. “I know, bro. I know. And you’re confused a lot.” He linked arms with Maya and Lucas, effectively separating them. “It’s a good thing I came along when I did. You two clearly need supervision.”

Maya groaned. “Yeah? And where exactly have _you_ been while we’ve all been trying to get you on the phone, Babineux?”

He let out a sneaky laugh.

“I knew it!” Maya crowed. “That’s his ‘I kissed a cheerleader and I liked it face’!”

They all had to stop walking so Zay could double over laughing until his stomach hurt. “Maya Hart, you are a gem… a very scary gem”, he said with a grin when he could finally breathe.

“That tickled your funny bone, huh?” she teased. “Lucas, I knew I should have bet you five bucks.”

Lucas just groaned under his breath. “I’m getting ganged up on right now?” he questioned as they continued walking. “Really?”

“Only if you’re reading the subtext”, Zay muttered.

Maya rolled her eyes and bumped him with her shoulder. “Can you not go the usual route of divide and conquer this time?”

“It works better!” Zay insisted. “Ya’ll sing like canaries.”

“Hey, I sing nothing!” Maya argued.

“And I sing badly”, Lucas said flatly.

“This is true”, Zay nodded sagely. “You do sing very badly.”

Maya’s phone started ringing. “Riley”, she announced unnecessarily.

She barely got out a greeting before Riley told her that she had left with Farkle and Smackle and that they were going to Topanga's.

“Topanga’s, anyone?” Maya asked when she hung up.

Lucas stared at her like she was nuts. “Zay can go to Topanga’s. You and I have other plans.”

“Mr. Bossy”, she muttered.

Zay grinned. “Auggie made you guys watch _Finding Nemo_ again last weekend?”

“What ya gonna do?” she shrugged. “Besides, we love making the fishy faces!”

”Do you two need a mediator, or can you play nice?” Zay asked looking between Maya and Lucas skeptically.

Maya looked over at Lucas with a smirk. “Pillow fight?”

He rolled his eyes at her, slightly amused. “No.”

She looked at Zay and shrugged. “I think we’re good.”

“Uh-huh. You better be. I don't wanna be responsible for any kind of shenanigans you two get into when you’re in the mood to make trouble. Comprende?”

“What are you talking about?” Lucas frowned.

“I told you: he gets confused a lot”, Zay said to Maya.

“You don’t seriously need an explanation for that, do you?” Maya rolled her eyes at Lucas as they finally got to her locker. She opened it and found the only thing left in it was her backpack. She sent off a quick text message. _Thanks, Riles._ They had been nearly done when she’d abandoned her job, but she appreciated not having to finish. Maya grabbed her backpack and closed her locker. “It’s time for summer to officially start. Grab your junk so we can go, Ranger Rick.”


	2. Chapter 2

Living with Secrets  
Summary: Freshman year is ending and an attempt is finally being made to end the triangle that has gone on much too long. The start of summer vacation is also taking the group back to Texas where it all started. They embark on a new adventure and find out new things about themselves and each other.

#  Chapter 2

Lucas couldn't say he didn’t understand why Maya was angry at him – he got it. _It just annoyed the crap out of him because it was a huge **misunderstanding**!_ He was getting frustrated trying to navigate the minefield of reasons why she wouldn't let him try to fix it. He’d seen some angry packing in his life – he’d done it himself when he’d moved from Texas to New York… but this scene in front of him was a new animal.

He dodged Maya’s second red flip-flop that came flying from her closet. “Hey!”

“You’re in the line of fire”, she said with a muffled voice.

“I’ve noticed”, he muttered dryly, folding his arms across his chest as he glanced around the room. He’d never before seen her bedroom anywhere close to the state it was in now.

“You could get out of the way”, she grumbled pointedly.

“No dice. Try again.”

“Lucas, go home”, she sighed.

“You think I’m going to listen to you while you’re head is in your closet?” he asked, wearily amused. “Come on, Maya.”

She groaned. _Maya felt like she was doing that a lot lately._ “This stubborn thing you’re doing? It’s really annoying”, she said, finally standing up and turning to look at him.

“Do you really expect me to let it go?”

“ _Yes_!” she insisted, groaning irritably.

“That would make me look like a real jerk though, wouldn't it?” he asked after a minute. “And it would probably make this easier on you.”

“Just stop”, she muttered. “You like Riley! Now for the love of unicorns, go tell her before I do it for you!”

“Unicorns?” He had _attempted_ to bring up Riley in more than a few previous conversations in an attempt to straighten this mess out, but any time he brought up the other girl’s name, Maya either twisted his words around until they were in an argument, or she disappeared like Houdini. It was better to let her keep her delusions for now.

“You’re about to enter rainbow-sunshine land, Cowboy. Get used to it”, she said tiredly.

“I'm not going anywhere until things are okay between you and me”, he repeated for what seemed to be the _fiftieth_ time. “What do you not get about that?”

“You told me you wanted to give you and Riley a fair shot now that you’ve known each other long enough that going out shouldn’t be super awkward. Of course you like her. She’s _Riley_. Believe me. I get it. How could anyone not like Riley? I told you; it’s fine. How many times do I have to repeat myself?”

_That had been a ‘what if’ scenario that had flown out of his mouth while they were locked in detention. She’d grabbed the bull by the horns, so to speak, and jumped on it._

“Just until I actually believe you”, Lucas shook his head with a sigh.

“Will you please just go ask her out?” she insisted again. “Stop dragging out the inevitable… put everyone out of their misery.”

“I’m more worried about you right now.”

“Yeah, well stop. No worry necessary here.”

_He’d believe that if she wasn’t still trying to avoid him… or if she would even look him in the eye. He hadn’t intentionally sprung the conversation on her – it had been nearly a month ago now. But he’d caught her off guard enough that she hadn't had any time to conceal her initial reaction from him at the mention of Riley. **He’d almost taken it back.** Maya was his friend, and he cared about her more than he realized he ever would when they’d first met. He had never wanted to hurt her. And she’d done a horribly bad job of getting the look of what he could only say was something close to **devastated** off her face before giving him a weak version of a pep talk and telling him she was happy for both of them._

He was an ass.

He knew it.

She was trying to be a good friend… but he wished that for once she would just tell the truth and say what she wanted instead of putting everyone else first. Maya was holding onto her patented lie of ‘I’m fine’ with a death grip. She was not fine, and he knew it was going to blow up in her face. It went against everything his mother had taught him about not fighting with women, and he knew provoking Maya into a serious argument would be like trying to play with a rattlesnake, but if things kept going the way they were… it was going to get ugly.

“We’re still friends, Maya”, Lucas said quietly. “I can’t just-”

“Look, I get it”, she interrupted. “Whatever happened between us was obviously some kind of fluke. I’m on board with whole you and Riley thing. I promise. Just stop being so pushy about it. Remember that space thing you agreed to? What happened to that?” she frowned.

“I wouldn’t call it a fluke-”, he cut himself off due to the look on her face. “You were avoiding the situation”, he said seriously, deciding to change tactics. _He’d tried talking to her about what was between them. He had. A few **months** back, actually… But she’d locked herself up like a vault. And she’d all but told him that whatever had been between them was never going to happen. Things had obviously been awkward for a while, but had eventually gotten somewhere almost normal. It wasn’t until he’d brought up the topic of Riley – if only because the brunette had been dropping some major hints – that he’d realized Maya wasn’t as fine as she’d been acting._ “I’m not trying to push you. But you seem like you’ve missed the first five memos that I’m not going anywhere. I’m waiting for that to sink in first. _No one_ is leaving you.”

“No. I _want_ you to go somewhere. Go talk to Riley!” she repeated with clear annoyance. “And what I do not get, for the _love_ of unholy trolls, is why you refuse to do that!”

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. “Really?” he questioned. “Trolls, Maya?”

She sighed, deciding to try again. “Are you waiting for another knight and a princess on a horse moment?” Maya asked. “Because we’re heading to Texas in a few days – in case you’ve forgotten – and I’m sure something like that can be arranged.”

His eyes narrowed. “Okay, what’s it gonna take?”

“What are you starting on now?” she asked, shaking her head tiredly.

“I heard you and Zay talking the other day.”

“Well, that clears everything up, doesn't it?” Maya said sarcastically.

He sighed. “How much bribery is it going to take for you to go riding with me?” Lucas asked finally.

Maya stared at him incredulously. “Way above your pay-grade, Huckleberry”, she muttered after nearly a minute.

He just smirked like he knew something she didn’t. “We’ll see.”

On his way home though, Lucas got a text from Zay.

_“Remember when I told you not to do something stupid? This is that stupid something I was talking about!”_

There was really no explanation needed for that.

00

Against all odds, everyone was packed and ready to go on time to meet at the train station on time.

It was a long ride, especially with Maya trying to avoid him – all the while trying to make it look like she actually _wasn't_ avoiding him.

But they all played cards, Maya sketched, Farkle played some science game on his tablet that only he thought was fun. Riley took pictures out the window that were mostly blurry unless they pulled into a station, and took selfies with everyone, and made everyone else take pictures together. Zay Facetimed with Vanessa and Farkle did the same with Smackle who was going to science convention for the summer and leaving in two days, otherwise she would have come with them. Maya and Riley took a nap, and Zay took a picture of them on his Snap Chat as dogs, hashtagging it #LetSleepingDogsLie.

It was a long trip, but it could have been worse.

At least there wasn’t a bull waiting for Lucas to ride, so he considered _that_ a plus.

00

Their first morning in Texas, Maya woke up to the smell of coffee and sizzling bacon. It was barely six yet, and she figured since even Riley was still making quiet sleepy sounds in the twin bed next to hers, she might be the only one awake beside Pappy Joe. But she knew the smell of bacon would tempt the rest of her friends from their beds soon, so she got up and ran a brush through her hair.

The black band t-shirt she had gone to bed in and her black and purple flannel shorts were plenty appropriate to go to breakfast. She slipped on her flip-flops before making a stop in the bathroom to handle her morning business and quickly wash her face and brush her teeth.

She made her way to the kitchen and found Pappy Joe standing at the stove tending to bacon in a cast iron skillet. “Good morning, Pappy Joe. This is a beautiful sight”, she sighed playfully.

“Good morning, Maya. I have to admit I’m surprised. I was led to believe you weren’t the early bird in your group”, he chuckled.

Maya grinned. “Not completely true... but my nose woke me up. Can I help?”

“Can you cook?” he asked with a bit of amusement that she thought he would put her to work.

“A little”, she shrugged.

“Tell you what…” he went over and opened the cupboard over the sink, pulling out a black mug with white polka dots and set it in front of the coffee pot before going back to the bacon. “Get yourself some coffee. You can take it outside and enjoy the view.” He gestured toward the front porch. “Then when you come back in, you can help me make biscuits.”

She poured her coffee and reached for the sugar bowl on the counter next to the pot. “Sounds good. Thanks.”

Maya took her cup of coffee out to the porch and made herself comfy in Pappy Joe’s rocking chair. _He’d eject her from it with a simple raised eyebrow if it was evening, but right now, she was free to settle in for a bit._ She glanced toward the sunrise before she frowned, realizing the silence of the morning was being interrupted by noise.

She stood up and walked until she could see around the left corner of the house. If her eyes weren’t fully opened before, they sure were now.

Lucas had Pappy Joe’s truck parked in the middle of the long driveway so the hose could reach from the front of the house as he washed the truck off.

She let out a quiet groan. “This is so unfair”, she muttered.

“I think you’ve got a bit of drool on your chin, honey nugget”, Zay teased from behind her.

She spun around, careful not to spill her coffee, “Shut it, Babineaux”, Maya threatened under her breath.

“Hey, you’re the one ogling and not being any kind of subtle about it.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she pointed toward the kitchen. “Does he make a habit of meddling?”

Zay’s eyebrows shot up. “Pappy Joe?” he asked incredulously. “I gotta hear this.”

“‘Go outside’, he said. ‘Drink your coffee and enjoy the _view_ ’, he said”, Maya grumbled. “Now which view do you suspect he meant?” she questioned, gesturing toward the sunrise, and then to Lucas.

Zay guffawed. He laughed so loudly that Lucas turned around, and Maya stepped on his foot, completely unamused. “You poor thing”, Zay teased as he waved to his friend across the yard.

“I will end you”, she muttered.

“Sure you will, sweetie.”

“Not amused. At all”, Maya said darkly.

Zay sighed. “Yeah, I know. Look… he’s my boy. And I’ve got his back. But he’s a dope.”

“No, he’s not”, she said reluctantly. “Look, my pride stings, but I’ll get over it, okay?”

“We both know it’s not your pride that got bruised. I get that you don't want to tell him that because you’re already hurt… but he’s not stupid. And for the record, you don’t have to lie to me about it either.”

She shrugged. “At least he told me to my face. I respect that. It just sucks. I need some time, Zay. Why can’t he give me that?”

“Because you’re important to him, and he doesn't want to lose you?” he suggested pointedly.

“I can’t be around him if he won’t let me get _over_ him!” she hissed angrily.

“I get you. I do. You’ve gotta talk to him though. He needs to know why you blew him off.”

“Really? You think I haven’t tried? It’s almost like he thinks I didn't like him long enough for it to matter.”

“I don't think that’s what- how long _have_ you liked him?” Zay asked curiously.

“I’m not answering that”, she muttered.

“Why didn't you say anything?”

“And ruin us all that much faster? Yeah, right. I make questionable life choices but I’m not an idiot.”

“Wet t-shirt contestant coming up on your six”, Zay smirked.

Maya rolled her eyes. “How are you still alive?”

“Because Lucas always saves my bacon.”

“You think he’d save you from me?” she asked stepping closer with a menacing smile.

“Hey, I’m on your side”, he reminded putting his hands up.

“You didn't answer my question”, she teased.

“Well, you’re terrifying”, he commented observationally.

Her grin widened. “You know how much I appreciate compliments. Do go on”, she made a flourishing motion with her hand.

“I will”, he paused, holding up a finger. “But first-” he reached around her for her mug and gulped down the last third of her coffee. “I was thirsty”, he smirked.

Her eyes widened in shock. “Did you… just drink… my coffee?”

“Yep.”

“Zay?” she said quietly.

“I should run?” he finished.

She nodded. “I would.”

He jumped, ignoring the stairs completely before taking off on the grass.

Maya ran down the steps after him, yelping a bit as the dew from the grass got her toes wet, but she chased him around the bushes by the driveway. “Stop zig-zagging!” she shouted with a laugh as he cut across the front yard.

“No!” he hollered back.

“You drank my coffee!”

“I was _thirsty_!”

Maya sped up a bit. Baseball practice had forced him to get faster.

At this point, they’d looped around the front yard once, and Maya wasn’t terribly far behind him. Zay started back toward Lucas who was watching with wary amusement – probably wondering which one of them needed hosed off.

“ _Lucas-_ ” Zay started.

“Don’t you dare!” Maya interrupted.

Zay took it upon himself to complete this week’s Disney challenge, yelling, _“She’s gonna eat me!”_

Maya nearly had to stop running because she was laughing so hard.

_Some time during the middle of eighth grade, they’d begun having a movie night marathon during the weekend about twice a month. Farkle had been arguing with Riley about how Disney movies had nothing to do with their daily lives anymore now that they weren't kids, and Riley had thrown her pink bunny slipper at him, saying it didn’t matter, and that they didn't have to grow up so fast just because they were teenagers. Naturally, Maya had come up with the wacky idea that she was sure they could make – if not Disney movies – Disney **quotes** a part of their lives. Now, whenever a Disney movie was picked during movie night, two names were drawn from a hat. And one of those two people had to use one of the movie quotes – in a way that made sense – before their next movie night. If neither of them held up their end of the bargain, the rest of the group decided on some form of punishment – and they were only allowed to last a week. When one person completed the task first, they chose the punishment for the following week._

_Maya had given Riley a week of having several streaks of electric blue dye in her hair. Matthews had flipped out, which had been really funny._

_Lucas had made Maya wear something pink every day for a week… that had backfired the next week when their names got drawn again and she - supposedly – retaliated. Neither of them would talk about it after Lucas had shown up to school on Monday wearing a sweater vest and Maya had cackled like a lunatic. And then it looked like that had been the end of it… but it obviously hadn’t been._

_Zay had taken Farkle to ballet… he had regretted it immediately. But Maya had the incident on video. (Even if she **was** terrified by ballerinas, this was too funny to miss… and okay, she’d made Lucas go with her to film it while she covered her eyes half the time while they hid around the corner.)_

Their chase ended with Lucas stepping in between them and catching Maya before she decided to tackle Zay to the ground, his arm around her waist and her feet off the ground as she tried to stop laughing.

“Zay, you idiot”, she chuckled breathlessly.

“Geez, you’re fast”, he panted. “Nice going, lion tamer”, he said to Lucas. “But maybe you should put her down before she decides to bite.”

Their shrieks and laughing had attracted attention by then, and Riley stood on the porch with Farkle looking down the driveway. “What the-?” she muttered incredulously, eyebrows high due to shock.

“I have no idea”, Farkle shook his head. _He was sure he was looking at Lucas in a wet t-shirt holding a still-laughing Maya around the waist, her toes just brushing the ground in her flip-flops, and Zay standing in front of them a few feet away trying to catch his breath. But he didn’t look particularly alarmed that Maya might want to kill him. Lucas looked both annoyed and confused, which didn't make much sense to Farkle._

“As much as I appreciate you using me for a human towel, Huckleberry, I’d like to be back on the ground now”, Maya said dryly.

He chuckled and let her feet touch the ground completely, but didn’t let go of her yet. “Sorry. So, why are you trying to kill Zay?”

“He drank my coffee”, Maya said with a frown.

Lucas rolled his eyes at his friend. “So, you were asking for it?”

“I wouldn't say _that-_ ”

“I would”, Maya muttered.

“ _Why?_ ” Lucas whined at his friend. “Why would you do that?”

“I was just trying to make a point-”

“Unnecessary”, Maya insisted. “Lucas, would you let me go now?” she complained.

“I don't know. Where’s your ‘attack mode ‘off’ switch’?” he quipped a bit sarcastically.

She grimaced as Zay snickered. “I’m as calm as I’m gonna get if don't stop patronizing me”, she said tensely.

”How about you play nice, Maya?” Lucas murmured, resting his chin on top of her head.

She purposefully relaxed. There was no _way_ she was starting this argument again. “I am relaxed. You can stop being a guard dog.”

He snorted. “Relaxed like a rattlesnake waiting to strike”, he commented blandly.

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna start upping those Texas comebacks for my benefit?” she shook her head, mouth twitching with amusement.

“I’m still waiting for ‘fun Maya’ to make an appearance. It’s been a while”, he said quietly.

She sighed. “Seriously, Lucas-”

“You’re hiding from me, and we both know it.”

“I’m _not_ hiding anything!” she hissed.

“Okay, that’s it!” Zay held up his hands in the standard signal for ‘time-out’, interrupting them before it got ugly. “When we get back to New York, you two are spending some quality time together on the therapy couch with Zay Babineaux, Love Doctor, M.D.”

“Ew, _gross_ ”, Maya complained, nose wrinkling in disgust, turning her attitude back to Zay.

At the same time, Lucas protested quite loudly, sounding horrified, “ _Never say that again!_ ”

“Oh, it’s happening.” Zay rolled his eyes. “Don’t act like you both haven’t already done it. Ya’ll should be _paying_ me to listen to both of you.

“I fell asleep watching _‘Little Shop of Horrors’_ and woke up with a mustache drawn on my face”, Maya glared playfully, crossing her arms over her chest. “That doesn't count. And your _brother_ told me before I left the house. I should still be mad at you.”

“How was I supposed to know you wouldn't look in the mirror like a normal person while you were _in the bathroom_?” Zay laughed.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, his head tilting curiously, trying to see her face. “When was this?”

Maya just groaned.

“Besides, that’s irrelevant to what happened before that”, Zay rolled his eyes, ignoring Lucas.

“Ugh, shut up”, she pouted.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Her eyes rolled as she extracted herself from Lucas’s grip. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to _dry off_ ”, she muttered with a weak glare. “Besides, I have a kitchen date... and biscuits with my name on them.”

Zay just smirked. “Having fun, ain’t ya?”

Maya grinned. “Don’t help. Plus, you drank my coffee. I need a refill.”

“Mhmm”, he hummed teasingly.

“I woke up to the smell of bacon, Zay. It was a good moment. Don’t ruin it for me”, she teased as she turned and walked away.

Lucas groaned under his breath as she left. “What just happened?”

“If I have to tell you bro, you’re gonna need a lot of help”, Zay slapped his shoulder.

Lucas groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger for nearly ten seconds before looking back at his friend. “Help?” he requested pleadingly.

Zay grinned. “First, repeat after me: ‘I am an idiot’.”

Lucas rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air before turning and walk toward the house. “Not doing it!” he called over his shoulder as Zay laughed, following behind him.

When they get to the house a few minutes later, Lucas walks in and gets a face full of fluffy towel. He expected it to be Maya, but Farkle was standing in front of him with a goofy grin. Maya, on the other hand, was standing at the stove by Pappy Joe and flipping bacon. Riley was sucking on her thumb and giving Maya and offended glare.

“What’s wrong with Riley?” Zay asked, raising his eyebrows.

Farkle looked back over his shoulder as Lucas used the towel to dry off. “Maya’s a bit brutal with the spatula”, Farlee muttered rubbing at a knuckle.

“Ooh, bacon!” Zay exclaimed happily heading to the stove where Maya was humming.

“I wouldn’t”, Maya warned mildly as he wrapped an arm around her neck playfully from behind.

“But you love me”, he said with a grin.

“Yeah, and?” she teased.

“Everybody heard that right?” Zay yelled, looking around the kitchen. “Maya loves me.”

Maya rolled her eyes and tried to squirm out of his grip. “Let go, you dork”, she reprimanded mildly.

Zay ignored her and reached toward the plate of bacon she was piling high on the counter next to her. She swatted his hand. “Hey!” he yelped.

“I told you”, she said shaking her head.

“Girl, I am _trying_ to help you catch that unbelievably stupid boy you like that happens to also be my best friend, and it takes work. Do me a solid, huh?” he whispered exasperatedly in her ear.

Maya tossed her head back and started laughing. She reached for the plate and grabbed him a slice and he took it from her, turning to their friends with a wink, and found them all staring in slight outrage. “She likes me best”, he teased.

“Get out of here now or I’ll put you to work”, Maya scolded, still giggling as she pushed him away. “But not with the bacon.”

Zay just grinned at her and shook his head before walking away. Pappy Joe was watching the blonde girl who’d made herself quite at home in his kitchen quite fondly as Zay followed Lucas to go change clothes.

0

Vanessa stopped over around eleven to kidnap Zay for a few hours for their date – he went willingly. _Very willingly._

But before she left, she mentioned that she’d run into his aunt who lived in town, and knew he was visiting with friends. The message she relayed for his aunt involved a painful ear twist – apparently for not getting in touch with her sooner - that made Lucas wince, and a promise to stop over the next day with his guests.

“You’re in trouble now”, Lucas murmured in Maya’s ear as he walked past her.

“Why?” she asked sharply.

He chuckled. “You’ll see.”

00

After dinner that night, Lucas got a call and disappeared to his room in the back of the house. It only took fifteen minutes before Pappy Joe spilled the fact that Lucas was actually talking to his mother as he walked into the kitchen.

Zay face-palmed, trying not to laugh. “Uh-oh.”

Maya smirked and got up from the couch.

“Maya”, Riley started with a frown, “where are you going?”

“I’m gonna go say hello to Sandra”, Maya answered casually before disappearing down the hallway.

“Who is Sandra?” Riley asked with scrunched eyebrows.

Zay patted the couch next to him so Riley would sit down, and he slung an arm over her shoulder. “Just wait for it, sugar. It’s gonna be magical.”

She laughed in confusion. “Okay?”

Thirty seconds later, they all heard a shriek.

A very girly shriek of alarm.

_From Lucas._

Zay giggled.

“Maya!” Lucas yelled as Maya howled with laughter.

There was a back and forth of “No”, “Yes”, “No”, “Lucas, give me the-” before it was quiet again.

“Did she kill him?” Farkle asked, a bit alarmed.

Zay rolled his eyes. “Dude, you have no chill whatsoever. Besides, if he’s dead, he enjoyed it”, he added under his breath.

“What?” Riley asked with a frown.

“Nothing.”

Five minutes later, Lucas proved he was still alive by carrying Maya back into the living room. She was draped over his shoulder and still amicably talking on his phone to his mother.

“Every time?” Zay asked when Lucas rolled his eyes.

Lucas just grimaced. “Maya.” He tapped the side of her thigh twice. “Give it back.”

“Excuse me, Sandra, your son seems to want my attention”, Maya said with a put upon sigh making his mother laugh. “Lucas, I am on the phone if you don't mind”, she scolded. “Will you put me down?”

“The joke’s on you”, Lucas said grimly, holding her firmly with his shoulder and bicep. “I’m not putting you down until you give me back my phone.”

“Pray tell _why_?” she whined.

Zay raised his hand. “I think it might be because the last time you had his phone unsupervised, you came away with more Lucas stories than I have”, he grinned.

Maya stretched out her arm and got a high five from Zay for her effort. “Thanks for playing!” she laughed before listening to the phone again. “Yes, Ma’am, I am still in the air… Will do.”

Lucas had his own phone held to his ear and listened to his mother scold him for dangling his cute little blonde friend off the ground. He groaned. “Yes, Mama.”

Maya barely stifled a squeak as she was lifted and then tucked into Lucas’s chest before he took a seat next to Zay with her sitting sideways across his lap as she leaned against the arm of the couch. She shot Zay a look of alarm, but he was only doing his best to control himself and wouldn't be helping her.

To her credit, when Lucas gave her the phone back, she spoke with his mother for another five minutes before letting the woman go, and passed the phone back.

She only realized she was in trouble when he wouldn’t let her get up.

“Lucas”, she hissed through gritted teeth. “Let go.”

He only tilted his head to Zay, looking perplexed. “Did you hear something?”

“Dude”, Zay shook his head warningly. “She hasn’t killed you yet. I’d quit while you’re ahead.”

“She can get up if she wants to”, he lied easily.

Maya narrowed her eyes. Yeah, and it looked like it too, except that he had a hand fisted at the back of her shirt.

“What do you want, Friar?” she muttered under her breath once everyone stopped staring at them and went back to watching television because neither of them were moving.

It took so long, she wasn’t sure if he was going to answer her at all. “Compromise”, he said finally.

She met his gaze warily, and found he was watching her with a mix a gentle concern that she would have rather avoided. “You’re doing this now? Really?” she whispered.

He glanced down at her bare feet. “When you don't have any shoes to toss at me? You bet.”

“Sorry”, she muttered. “Seriously. What do you want?”

He sighed. “We’ll about it tomorrow.”

Her eyes rolled. “You’re so difficult sometimes.”

“Hey, pot? Meet kettle”, he muttered with a bit of a smirk.

“Yeah, yeah”, she muttered.

“Did you have to tackle me earlier?” he cocked an eyebrow, looking down at her.

She looked up, nose wrinkling in amusement. “You screamed and fell on the floor. I wish someone had gotten it on video.”

He just shook his head. “Not cool.”

“Nope, you’re not cool at all”, she teased gently.

“I am too!” he protested

She closed her eyes briefly, resisting the urge to fluff his hair. “Whatever you say, Mad Dog.”

“That’s better.”

“Would you two shut up! We’re trying to watch a movie!” Riley scolded

“You be quiet”, Zay hushed her. “I was trying to eavesdrop!”

_**“Zay!”**_ Maya and Lucas yelled.

“Riley, it’s fine”, Farkle said, “What’s going to happen is-”

Everyone simultaneously threw pillows at Farkle before he could spoil the movie.

“That”, Farkle said a few seconds after all the pillows hit the floor. “I knew that was coming.”

Vanessa walked back into the living room and stared at them all in shock. “I was only gone ten minutes.”

They all burst out laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so freaking long. It really wasn't supposed to, but it's twice as long as I thought it would be, so i hope you'll forgive me! Let me know what you think!


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